http://hdl.handle.net/10174/14284 2026-08-23T18:02:01Z 2026-08-23T18:02:01Z Fariñas-Bermejo, A Petitguyot, M Jacinto, D Neves, F et al. http://hdl.handle.net/10174/42495 2026-08-20T12:31:05Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: European stranding networks as a tool for monitoring marine mammal populations (Part II): assessing their utility to monitor bycatch mortality Authors: Fariñas-Bermejo, A; Petitguyot, M; Jacinto, D; Neves, F; et al. Abstract: Fisheries bycatch is an important source of direct human-induced mortality for marine mammals worldwide. Despite its significance, monitoring and quantifying bycatch mortality remains challenging. The examination of stranded animals can provide key information to assess the importance of bycatch mortality, contributing to understanding its impact on populations, and identifying the fisheries responsible. However, the utility of data from strandings remains underexplored. Based on an expert consultation using a questionnaire carried out under the auspices of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea Working Group on Marine Mammal Ecology, this study assessed the potential of stranding networks in Western Europe to support the assessment of marine mammal population status and impacts of stressors. The present paper (the second of two) focuses on information on bycatch collected from strandings, and its utility for monitoring and assessing bycatch mortality. Responses from 45 organizations in 19 countries indicated that extensive information on marine mammal bycatch mortality is collected and can sometimes be used to identify the species or populations most affected by bycatch, reveal spatio-temporal trends in bycatch mortality, and determine the fisheries and/or fishing gear involved. However, the survey identified several limitations that hinder the contribution of stranding data to bycatch impact monitoring and assessment. There is a need to strengthen data collection and reporting, especially for certain taxa and regions, and for wider adoption and harmonization of best practise protocols for diagnosing causes of mortality and understanding its context, e.g. by determining health status, estimating demographic parameters, helping to identify the fishing gears responsible for bycatch mortality, and appropriately communicating the degree of uncertainty associated with interpretations. Carcass drift models could enable stranding data to be used to estimate total bycatch mortality and contribute to assessing the impact on populations. The need for adequate baseline funding for stranding networks to carry out their activities and for streamlined data reporting was widely recognized. Achieving coordinated, harmonized, large-scale and long-term data and samples collection following best practices will be essential to ensure that data from strandings on bycatch mortality can be integrated into bycatch impact assessments to inform management.

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z Eger, A Verges, A Jacinto, D et al http://hdl.handle.net/10174/42493 2026-08-20T12:30:17Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Global patterns and regional insights into kelp forest protection, restoration, and stewardship Authors: Eger, A; Verges, A; Jacinto, D; et al Abstract: Kelp forests are among the most extensive and productive coastal ecosystems, yet they remain underrepresented in global conservation policy despite widespread declines driven by interacting global- (i.e., ocean warming, marine heatwaves) to local-scale stressors. At the same time, kelp conservation and restoration efforts are expanding rapidly across regions, but measures of success and syntheses tend to primarily focus on ecological conditions and trends, not on conservation and restoration actions. To fill this gap, we developed a comparative global dataset of kelp conservation initiatives based on expert-derived regional narratives from 209 participants spanning 35 regions with kelp forests. We applied a structured presence–absence scoring framework across six domains: conservation actions, restoration approaches, governance actors, conservation objectives, social dimensions, and funding structures, supplemented by regional expert knowledge to enable cross-regional comparison. Across regions, conservation was characterised by strong emphasis on monitoring (86% of regions), multi-actor governance (scientific institutions 94%, government agencies 86%), and protecting existing forests (66%), while active restoration was undertaken in half of the regions. Social engagement (66%) and links to fisheries and livelihoods (69%) were widespread, whereas explicit climate adaptation objectives were less common (17%). We identify a set of conservation profiles that describe how kelp forest conservation is advancing in different ecological and governance contexts worldwide. These findings highlight that scaling kelp conservation is as dependent on the social, financial, institutional, and policy systems that govern implementation, as it is on ecological knowledge and technical capacity. By bridging regional knowledge with global analysis, this study provides a framework for aligning locally grounded conservation action with global biodiversity targets.

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z Noiva, João Brito, Pedro Rosa, Marcos Ribeiro, Carlos Terrinha, Pedro http://hdl.handle.net/10174/42330 2026-07-09T16:21:12Z 2026-05-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Occurrence and morphometric analysis of sorted bedforms on the Alentejo continental shelf, Southwestern Portugal. Authors: Noiva, João; Brito, Pedro; Rosa, Marcos; Ribeiro, Carlos; Terrinha, Pedro Abstract: The distribution of detrital sediments across continental shelves can provide important information on mineral concentrations, geological processes, and ecosystem substrates. On the southwestern Portuguese continental shelf, this distribution is governed by a complex interplay of hydrodynamic energy gradients, seafloor morphology, and eustatic sea-level changes. In particular, the strong energy gradient from the coastline to the shelf break, combined with open-ocean-wave dynamics, tidal regimes, and active continental uplift, determines the specific nature and grain size of submarine deposits. To better understand these dynamics, this study employed continuously recording geophysical methods, including multibeam echosounder bathymetry and backscatter, complemented by ultra-high-resolution seismic profiling and sediment sampling. Our results reveal four distinct depositional environments: homogeneous fine-grained sediments near the shelf break, sorted bedforms on the flat outer shelf, isolated sorted bedforms on the mid-shelf, and a homogeneous sand sheet near the coast. Notably, the presence of isolated bedforms at depths exceeding 80 meters suggests they are generated by wave action, reflecting the long-term impact of the Holocene sea-level rise over the last 8,000 years and possibly active mobilization under modern hydrodynamic conditions. Consequently, these findings highlight how high-resolution mapping can reveal sediment patterns and environmental histories that remain hidden through traditional discrete sampling.

2026-05-31T23:00:00Z Brito, Pedro Abrantes, Fátima Aires, Catarina Alberto, Ana Almeida, Jaime Batista, Luis Borges, Ruben Costa, Pedro Drago, Teresa Gebara, Lívia Neres, Marta Magalhães, Vítor Noiva, João Oliveira, Dulce Pereira, Ângela Ribeiro, Carlos Rosa, Marcos Salgueiro, Emília Silva, Alexandra Trindade, Liliana Valadares, Vasco Terrinha, Pedro http://hdl.handle.net/10174/42250 2026-06-24T14:22:59Z 2026-05-31T23:00:00Z

Title: Estudos técnicos para potencial energético offshore no Norte de Portugal Authors: Brito, Pedro; Abrantes, Fátima; Aires, Catarina; Alberto, Ana; Almeida, Jaime; Batista, Luis; Borges, Ruben; Costa, Pedro; Drago, Teresa; Gebara, Lívia; Neres, Marta; Magalhães, Vítor; Noiva, João; Oliveira, Dulce; Pereira, Ângela; Ribeiro, Carlos; Rosa, Marcos; Salgueiro, Emília; Silva, Alexandra; Trindade, Liliana; Valadares, Vasco; Terrinha, Pedro Abstract: Portugal, no âmbito da estratégia política de descarbonização estabeleceu a meta de 9.2 GW de energia eólica em plataformas flutuantes até ao ano de 2050. Para este efeito o projeto RP- C21-i07.01 – Estudos técnicos para potencial energético offshore foi financiado com 50 M€, dos quais 42M€ destinaram-se à caracterização geofísica, geotécnica e ambiental de 2000 km2 das áreas do PAER (Plano de Afetação para as Energias Renováveis Offshore) a serem executados pelo Instituto português do Mar e da Atmosfera (IPMA). O Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia encarrega-se do estudo das condições meteoceânicas e do potencial eólico nas mesmas áreas com financiamento de 8M€. As áreas selecionadas para estudo foram inicialmente as de Viana do Castelo Sul, Leixões e Figueira da Foz. Estas áreas foram alvo de levantamentos batimétricos exploratórios em 2024 com os métodos de batimetria multifeixe, amostragem de sedimentos num levantamento realizado pelo Instituto Hidrográfico e posteriormente um outro levantamento que compreendeu cerca de 2 000km de sísmica de reflexão de muito alta resolução, multifeixe e perfilador de sedimentos realizado pelo IPMA. Numa segunda fase as áreas selecionadas para 2025 foram as de Leixões e Figueira da Foz. Os levantamentos de 2025 foram contratualizados através de Concurso Público Internacional no valor base de 30 M€ à empresa Ocean Infinity. Nestas áreas o planeamento compreendeu os seguintes métodos: batimetria multifeixe e perfilador de sedimentos montados no casco dos navios, sísmica de muito alta resolução rebocada á superfície e sonar de varrimento lateral, magnetómetro e perfilador de sedimentos rebocados junto ao fundo do mar. Estes levantamentos envolveram a aquisição de cerca de 15 000 km de dados geofísicos, 122 dragas de superfície, 71 vibrocores and 43 testes de penetração com cone (CPTs). Simultaneamente foram realizados estudos que permitem estabelecer uma linha de base ambiental para as áreas de estudo. Estes estudos envolveram a definição de linhas de base ambientais no que se refere a qualidade da água, fitoplâncton, zooplâncton, biodiversidade, espécies nativas e modelação oceânicas sobre padrões de circulação e dispersão de ovos e larvas. Os estudos geofísicos e geotécnicos constituem uma base de dados de qualidade e quantidade sem precedentes no estudo da plataforma continental portuguesa no âmbito da geologia senso lato que constituirão apoio essencial para as empresas interessadas no desenvolvimento do aproveitamento da energia eólica offshore. Do ponto de vista do conhecimento geológico os dados adquiridos serão um acréscimo de enorme valor para o conhecimento da geologia da plataforma continental.

2026-05-31T23:00:00Z